Spring-tire



F. C. GEISDORF.

SPRING TIRE.

7 APPLICATION FILED M.AY20,1920. 1,386,564. Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

FIG. 2.

FIG. 4.

I N VEN TOR FRANK C. GE/SDORF ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES FRANK C. GEISDORF, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

SPRING-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

Application filed May 20, 1920. Serial No. 382,743.

To all whom i'mwg cont-61%:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. Ginsoonr, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Tires, of

' which the following is a specification.

This invention is a spring tire which may be used instead of a usual pneumatic tire upon automobiles and the like, and has for its object the provision of a tire which will be of the desired resiliency without necessitating the employment of pneumatic tubes and the like.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a tire constructed in accordance with the invention and partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The improved tire comprises a base, a tread support, an intermediate member secured to the tread support and a plurality of springs arranged between the base and the tread support providing a resilient connection between the tread support of the tire and its base.

The base of the tire is shown as an annular channel iron 1 having the flanges 2 of the channel iron upturned. This base is arranged to be mounted upon. a wheel in any well known or preferred manner. An intermediate member, forming a support for the tread carrying portion of the tire, surrounds the base 1 in spaced relation therefrom, this intermediate member being shown as an I bar having its web 3 surrounding the base 1 and its flanges 4 extending in radially spaced relation beyond the base 1 substantially in alinement with the side edges of the base.

The tread support for the tire is shown as a channel bar having its base 5 received between the outer edges of flanges 4 with the flanges o of this channel bar turned inwardly and resting against the inner surfaces of the flanges 4. The channel bar forming the tread support is, preferably, made in aplurality of circumferential sections, preferably, provided with outturned ends 7 at their meeting ends. The tread of the tire comprises a plurality of tread sections arranged to. be secured to the respective sections of the tread support. These tread sections may be blocks of rubber 8,'each extending the length of a section of the tread support, with their ends,

preferably,beveled as shown at 9 to provide a slight space between adjacent tread blocks. The sides ofthe tread blocks, preferably, extend outwardly over the edges of the flanges 4 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Lugs 10 are, preferably, provided upon the inner side of a tread block adjacent its respective ends, these lugs being arranged to extend inwardly through suitable openings 11 formed in the base 5 with the inner ends of the lugs resting upon the web 3. The tread supports and the tread blocks may be held in position between the flanges 4 by bolts 12 extending transversely of the tire through suitable openings in the lugs of the tread blocks and in the flanges 6 and 4. Usual nuts 13 are provided upon the ends of these bolts.

The resilient support provided between the base of the tire and the tread carrying'portion thereof is shown ascomprising a cup 14 having a flange 15 at its outer end resting against the web 3 with the cup extending inwardly through a suitable opening 16 in the web toward the base of the tire 1. The opening 16 is of such size as to permit circumferential movement of the web relative to cup 14. A spring 17 shown as a coil spring is received within the cup 14 with one end of the spring resting against the base of the cup and the other end of the spring extending beyond the flange 15 upon the cup and supporting a cup 18, arranged to telescope within cup 14 and having a flange 19 at its outer end resting upon the end of spring 17. The flange 19 abuts against the inner surface of a section of the tread support so as to provide a yieldits opposite ends with cross heads 21 and 22,

the former of which rests against the base of cup 18 and thelatter of which is received against the base 1. The cross head 22 is,

."ing being shown as an elongated slot through .causethe flange to extend entirely across after assembly of the parts. .the presence of a broken spring within the .tire will be indicated, a pin 34, preferably, projects beyond cross head 22 through a suitable notch 35 in one of the flanges 2."

which cross head 21 is arranged topass when the'rod 20 is turned to bring the'cross head in alinement with the slot. 'After the cross head has been passed through slot 27, the rod 20 is turned so that the cross head 21 will rest against the base of cup 18 .at the. sides of slot 27 so as to hold the parts in their assembl'ed position. A slot 28 in alinement with .slot 27 is provided in base 1 so that in assembling the parts, the" rod 20 may be inserted through slot 28 and the outer end of the :rod then passed through slot 27 and the rod then given a quarter turn for retaining the parts in thelr assembled relation asshown 1n Figs.

1 and 3. v

The flanges 15 and 19 of cups 14 and 18 are, preferably, of sufflcient width as to thespace between the opposite side flanges .of the construction, the edges of the flanges -which, are adjacent the flanges 4 and 6 be- '30;

ing, preferably, formed as straight sides 30, arranged to'abut against flanges 4 and 6 forpreventing turning of cups 14 and 18 In order that If, now, one of the springs 17 is broken, the

.rod cooperating with the broken spring will .be free to vlbra'te in its bearing bracket 24,

and'this vibration of the rod will cause a similar vibration'of pin 34 which will indi cate the presence of a broken spring.

'Positioningmeans are, preferably, provided between the base of the tire and the web 3 at points intermediate of adjacent cups 14. These positioning means each comprise a frame shown as a rectangular box ,frame 40 resting upon the base 1 between flanges 2 and extending outwardly there from in spaced relationfrom the flanges 4 of web 3 and through a suitable opening 41 -in web 3. The opening 41 is of suitable size topermit of slight circumferential and box frame. .thls box frame 1s, preferably, open as shown lateral movement of web 3 relative to the One of the end side walls of at 42 and the opposite end side wall of the fram may be provided with a central aperture 43 for reducing the weight of the construction. The [frame is supported upon base 1 bya bolt 44 extending through the frame and through the opposite flanges2 of base 1. Protecting means for preventing suitable slots 48 in the respective sidewalls of frame 40, the slots 48 being, preferably somewhat elongated circumferentially of the tire to permit of circumferentialmovement of pins 47-; Shoulders 49 are provided upon pins 47, these'shoulders being arranged to abut against the inner vsurfaces of the side -walls of frame 40, and a coil spring 50 ex- :tends across the frame 40 with its respective ends received around pins 47, so as to abut against the shoulders 49. By this arrange- .ment, pins 47 are ,yieldaibly urged outwardly into abutment against the depending flanges 4. The tread carrying portion of .the tire is thus arrangedfor slight resilient lateral movement relative to frame 40. The end sidewall of frame 40is, preferably, provided with slots 52 .in alinement with shoulders 49 to permit of circumferential movement of pins 47 relative to the frame 40 without causing abutment of the. shoulders 49 against the wall of frame 40.

It will-be observed that the construction as thus described provides a tire comprisin a base portion and a tread portion resiliently mounted on the base portion. It will also be observed that the base portion carries supporting frames having a yieldable connection withthe tread portion for permitting'slight movement of 'the latter relative to the supportingframes. It will also be noted that the improved tire cons'truction provides a plurality ofv resilient 7 connections between thebase of the tire and the tread portion, these resilient connections being individually removableshould one of the same be broken. r v 1 The improved tire as thus constructed lmay be mounted upon the, rim of a wheel in any well known or preferred manner. In the practical embodiment of the; invention as illustrated in the drawings, I have shown a plurality of lugs 55 depending from the base of the tire, preferably, from one of the flanges of said base. These lugs may be suitably riveted or otherwise secured to the flange and are shownas provided with an elongated slot 56 through which the usual [wedge ofan attaching lug maybe received. .An aperture 57 is,preferably,i also formed through the lug 55 to receive a usual bolt for connecting the lug to the usual attach- 1ng means.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the construction as thus described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tire of the character'described comprising a base; a tread portion spaced radially beyond said base; an intermediate annular member supporting cups extending outwardly from said base and supported by said intermediate member; and tread supports within said supporting cups yieldably urged outwardly therefrom against said tread portion.

2. A tire of the character described comprising a base; a tread portion spaced radially beyond said base; means for yieldably urging said tread portion outwardly from said base; supporting frames upon said base; and laterally yieldable positioning means between said frames and said tread portion of the tire.

3. A tire of the character described comprising a base; a tread portion spaced radially beyond said base; supporting cups extending outwardly from said base; and tread supports within said supporting cups yieldably urged outwardly therefrom against said tread portion; supporting frames on said base; and laterally yieldable connections between said supporting frames and the tread portion of said tire.

4:. A tire of the character described comprising a base; an intermediate member spaced radially beyond said base; a tread portion supported upon said intermediate member; supporting cups extending in wardly from said intermediate member toward said base; supporting members within said cups received against the inner'surface of said tread portion; springs within said supporting cups between said supporting members and the bases of said supporting cups; and connecting rods supported upon the base of the tire and extending within said supporting members.

5. A tire of the character described comprising a base; an intermediate member spaced radially beyond said base; a tread portion supported by said intermediate member, supporting cups extending inwardly from said intermediate member toward said base, supporting cups received within said first mentioned supporting cups and abutting against the inner surface of said tread portion; coil springs between said inner supporting cups and the bases of said first mentioned supporting cups; connecting rods having cross heads at the ends thereof; bearings upon the base of said tire; one of the cross heads of the connecting rod being journaled in one of said bearings, the other cross head of each connecting rod being received in one of said inner supporting cups;

the bases of said inner supporting cups having slots for receiving said cross heads and arranged to retain said cross heads within said cups by turning said cross heads at right angles to said slots.

6. A tire of the character described comprising a base; an intermediate member spaced radially beyond said base; a tread portion supported upon said intermediate member; supporting cups extending inwardly from said intermediate member toward said base; supporting members within said cupsreceived against the inner surface of said tread portion; springs within said supporting cups between said supporting members and the bases of said supporting cups; and connecting rods supported upon the base of the tire and extending within said supporting members; and a visual indicator comprising a pin extending from each of said connecting rods beyond the base of the tire.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK C. GEISDORF. 

